Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani gets apology from Blue Jays catcher after incident

Toronto Blue Jays catcher Brandon Valenzuela was not supposed to be on the MLB roster this early into the 2026 campaign, but with two-time All-Star Alejandro Kirk on the injured list, the team required some reinforcements behind home plate. The 25-year-old Mexican is just focused on getting accustomed to big-league action and life in Toronto. The last thing he needed was another reason to be nervous, but an unfortunate moment with Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani surely left him uneasy.

While trying to pick off a runner at first base in the fifth inning, Valenzuela inadvertently hit the four-time MVP in the left elbow with his thumb and wrist. Ohtani was in immediate pain and appeared to express frustration with the whole situation. The Dodgers trainer sprung into action, as fans held their breath. Luckily, the slugger/pitcher finished the at-bat and remained in the game. Valenzuela could exhale.

Although it was accidental, neither LA nor MLB wants to see the most popular player in the sport suffer a potential injury, especially on something so fluky like a pickoff attempt. The rookie catcher communicated his regret to the man himself, but it is unclear how it was received.

“I said sorry to him,” Valenzuela revealed after a 4-1 loss to the Dodgers, per Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith. “I don’t know if he took it, but I said sorry.”

Ohtani is currently riding a five-game hitting streak and has recorded three home runs in the last five nights after posting a .167 batting average through his first six games of the season. He obviously wants to maintain his rhythm. Is accidental contact in the elbow area enough to throw off a superb hitter? The Dodgers do not seem worried.

The two-time World Series champion notched an RBI single and registered two walks, as Los Angeles cruised to an MLB-leading 9-2 record. Shohei Ohtani is set to pitch in the series finale on Wednesday afternoon. Brandon Valenzuela will hope there are no hard feelings when he steps up to the batter’s box.

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